Castle Fanfic Contest Entry
by SnowFire77
Summary: A fanfic entry for the Castle contest. The Castle series is owned by Oscar Johansson.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Sleep deprivation, Beecher?" Beecher grumbled under his breath, recalling one of the last words Etrius had said to him before they departed for the third castle. He sat on the side of his bed, the sheets halfway draped across the floor. The lights were shut off, casting his room into semi-darkness.

It had been 24 hours since they'd last left the castle, and since Beecher last saw what The General did to Etrius. And his sleep deprivation had only worsened since then. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see those freaks' glowing eyes burning a hole into him. He remembered as clear as day as each elite team member was left behind in the darkness, one by one, until only Beecher was left. He buried his face in his hands, rubbing his forehead temples.

He needed to speak with The General about what happened, but every time he came to his office door, where he spent hours without any outside contact, he couldn't do it.

Beecher had never known The General to kill without reason. He didn't like that his mind traveled to the memory of seeing his friend lying dead on top of the altar, but he needed to know what happened.

He sincerely hoped The General was satisfied, now that they had their resource they lost so many lives over.

Breathing a sigh, he reached into his drawer and produced a cigar, igniting it with his old lighter. He slumped back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

The bioluminescent lights of the base cascaded through his half-closed window, casting a cobalt blue light on the opposite wall. A shadow streaked past. Beecher didn't notice. He was too busy watching his cigar smoke climbing into the air, inhaling the fumes.

 _CRASH!_

Beecher jolted out of bed, his eyes darting around the room. He sharply drew up his blinds, peering out the window, but he couldn't see the source of the crash. A trail of blackened smoke curled in the sky. It was heading for the helicopter pads.

Beecher's eyes widened as something clicked in his mind. Then he shook his head solemnly. _Don't get your hopes up. It's not worth it._

Despite himself, he tugged on his cameo jacket and emerged into the outside hallway.

Outside, he heard people screaming and cursing incoherent words. His brow furrowed as he pushed past the hallway door, freezing in his tracks at the sight.

A busted up chopper, stained with blood and ashen dust was lying on its side, mushroom clouds of smoke rising into the air. Crowds of soldiers formed a large circle around the busted chopper, keeping their distance. The confused shouts and screams descended into whispers and murmurs.

The first one out of the chopper was a familiar figure that made Beecher's heart twist into knots.

Boomer's hair was matted with blood and grime, his combat uniform torn apart, slightly exposing his chest, which was covered in open scars. He climbed up and through the chopper door, leaping to the ground and landing on his hands and knees, breathing heavily. He was exhausted. Next to emerge from the chopper was the pilot, Sergeant Mullins, Private Ray and Roberts.

A medical team rushed past Beecher. They dragged a covered body from the wreckage.

Boomer held his head, feeling a wave of agony rippling through him. His weary red-tinted eyes scanned through the crowd, coming to a stop at one particular person.

The distractions and white noise of nervous chatter around them melted away. Beecher forced his feet to move, closing the distance between them.

Neither of them spoke for a few fleeting moments. Then, " _I thought you were dead_!" They shouted in unison.

Boomer gave a hearty laugh, hooking an arm around his neck and pulling him into a crushing side-hug. "I knew I'd find you here, you bastard!"

"Am I high on something, or is this real?"

Boomer responded with another laugh, but the sound was more reassured than amused. Beecher felt something in his neck _clock_.

"Alright, alright!" Beecher forced himself away, feeling a dull ache in his arms. "You're crushing my bones. And you're covered in blood. What the hell happened back there?"

Before Boomer could respond, the crowd around them seemed to lower their voices to a succinct hush. The two team members turned in time to see a familiar figure marching through the crowd. The soldiers around him automatically cleared a path as he walked through.

The General froze upon seeing the damaged chopper, and spoke quickly with the medics as they hurried the injured men away on stretchers. His steel gaze travelled through the crowd, coming to a stop on Boomer. He assessed him with mild shock.

Noticing that Beecher was standing next to him, he tilted his head down, his beret shadowing his eyes. He abruptly disappeared back into the crowd.

Boomer stroked his chin. "What's his problem?"

"I'll tell you later," Beecher spoke just above a whisper, curling his hands into fists. "Now isn't the time or place."

* * *

Dr. Romanov set down his glasses beside the fractured artifact and The Wise One's second book, rubbed his eyes and sighed. He heard the door swinging open and closing with a loud _thud_ , but he didn't raise his head to acknowledge The General. "I told you all to leave that place when you had the chance."

The General ignored his statement, plucking up the obsidian orb and examining it. "Anything new about the…?"

"No. Nothing yet."

"You know we'll have to go back there sooner or later."

"You. _You_ will be going back there," Romanov pointed an accusing finger at him. "I'm not stepping another foot near that place again."

"I'm not ordering you to come," The General's face was deadpan. "This is an optional mission."

"I apologize for saying this, but I don't believe many men would volunteer to run straight into certain death."

"Not certain death," The General reminded him. "We know where the power is located. Getting Etrius back shouldn't be a problem. It's that freak army that's in the way, but we've wrangled them before."

"Have you told Beecher, or Boomer?"

"No. And I don't plan to. We can't have anybody in the way of the goal."

"Prepare to make arrangements to that plan. Etrius won't listen to you, or anybody else other than those he trusts. I think it's wise you take the remaining elite team members with you."

"If he refuses to cooperate with us, then maybe he shouldn't cooperate with anybody."

"Upon touching the artifact, Etrius inherited its powers. A bullet to the head won't stop him. What makes you think extra lethal force will?"

"What makes you think trust will bring him back?"

"The same thing that brought us to that god-forsaken castle. You only have one more shot at this. If this mission ends up in failure, this project is coming to a close. We can't afford losing any more lives over something we will never have."

The General's eyes raked the floor. Then he cleared his throat and turned to the door. "Keep in touch. I'll have a pair of headphone transmitters sent here. We're going back."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The General's chopper was tilted toward, speeding through the ashen landscape of nothingness. Surrounding him were 15 choppers, but the men inside weren't going to be going inside the Castle.

While The General and the elite team went inside the altar room, the remaining soldiers they had left would be manning the weapons, providing air support from the choppers.

Before they departed to the third castle on the final mission, The General had briefed Boomer and Beecher about the circumstance. Boomer looked more eager to go, so The General assumed that Beecher hadn't told him yet. He must've been aware that he'd installed security cameras around the base, after Etrius returned from the second castle—bitten by a freak—to monitor his activity.

Beecher had a more uncertain expression as he listened to what The General was telling them. He wasn't sure whether to punch his face, or disregard him for trying to act dumb.

But for now, Beecher was just glad that he was designated to another chopper, away from The General. He stood at the open cockpit door, glancing down at the lifeless landscape below as they sped past. His hair was caught in an updraft from the chopper's rotors.

Hooking his headset around his neck, he made sure that the pilot's door was closed so nobody could hear them.

Boomer was seated in the back, his blond hair falling over his eyes as he toyed with his dog tags. When he saw Beecher approaching, he glanced up with rage in his eyes. "Ever since we came back from that castle, you've been acting differently. I know you're hiding something. And I know it has to do with Etrius and Lloyd."

"I know. There's a reason for everything, but you have to swear you won't tell anyone else. Not Mullins, not that crackpot, and _certainly_ not The General."

"Fine."

Beecher hesitated. "While everyone was inside that altar room… After we heard that gunshot and I took off, I climbed to the top of the altar. The General was making his way down, but Etrius wasn't with him. He was carrying his caliber. When I got to the top of the altar room, Etrius had a bullet wound in his neck."

It took a moment for Boomer to register the words. He hesitated. "That gunshot… Lloyd pulling arms… I knew something happened, but… I never thought that…" He circled his hands into fists of rock, most likely crushing his dog tags in the process. "That son of a bitch! I'll fucking kill him for what he—"

Beecher slowly shook his head. "We've got a lie low, Boomer. The General's got entire armies behind his back, remember? Two people won't be an issue."

"Do you really think he'll…?"

"I don't know. I haven't spoken to him yet, and he hasn't said anything about it. I think we should wait until the right moment before making a move."

"…Do you think Etrius and Lloyd are really back there?"

Beecher sighed, seeing the looming silhouette of the castle in the distance, backlit by the white disk of the sun.

"Whether they are or not, bad shit's about to happen."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

He couldn't breathe.

Etrius's first thought was of being trapped inside another world. Locked in Purgatory. Tangled in a net. His mind and actions dictated by another.

Recollections pieced together in his mind. The memories were splintered and damaged, but they were there. He remembered picking up the artifact, and being overwhelmed with new truths and memories that played out centuries ago, like an old broken record player. He remembered The General aiming his caliber, and pulling the trigger.

He cracked his eyes open, seeing the single beam of soft light being shed from above. Dark figures darted past him, heading for the base of the altar. A dull pain pounded in the back of his head. He couldn't be dead if he was in pain. How did he survive? Where are the others?

Etrius pushed his hands against the ground to rise, but he wasn't in control of his own movements. As if somebody else had taken possession over his mind. If he focused hard enough, he could just barely twitch his fingers, but even the smallest effort drained him of energy.

Something was stirring beneath the surface of his mind.

 **Stay down in the dark where you belong, Mortal.** A familiar sickening voice rang in his mind, followed by immense pressure. **You have been sacrificed upon the altar, the same as the Wise One. You are my chosen vessel. Be grateful I allowed you to live. Now you shall witness a new beginning for your world.**

 _What… the fuck are you?_ Etrius hissed in his own mind, unsure the voice it could hear him or not.

 **You can call me… A Parasite. Travelling to worlds, consuming life at its pride.** It spoke with a skin-crawling tone, like nails being run against chalkboard. Etrius swore it's voice travelled through every corridor in the castle, shaking the walls and making the ground tremble beneath it's superiority. **I need you, and you need me. It doesn't get simpler than that.**

The foreign entity in his mind began to move, making his way down the altar. The evils running past seemed to have no interest in the lone figure with glowing eyes descending the endless stairs.

There.

Overhead.

The sharp glint of a sword hacked and slashed through the swarming bodies of evils.

One word ran through Etrius' mind. _Lloyd._

The Mind Worm had a different perspective. A dark smile surfaced on his face as he descended the rest of their stairs, his eyes never wavering from the swordsman.

He raised a single hand, his eyes glowing brighter. The evils forming a tight circle around Lloyd slowed to a stop, then stared up at their master, now released from its prison. They backed away from their target, giving him sharp, guttural growls of warning, but nonetheless kept their distance as the Mind Worm approached.

Lloyd was drenched in blood, open wounds running the length of his torso. He kept his sword aimed at the testy Evils in defense, his breathing heavy and awkward, his teeth clenched to battle the exhaustion from the fight.

When he saw the Mind Worm approaching, his jaw tightened. "Etrius?"

Etrius watched through the Mind Worm's eyes, seeing the blurry vision of his comrade. He heard him say his name, and the horrible realization settled in. _Shit. Lloyd, that isn't me! Get the fuck out of here!_ He tried to say the words, but they wouldn't make it past his throat.

The Mind Worm's mouth tipped up in a smirk, admiring Lloyd's sword. " **You fight well, swordsman. Almost like that foolish, the Wise One. But I see more potential in you. Let us see if you are less foolish in your decisions. Join us.** "

Lloyd's gaze narrowed, and the realization quickly settled in. That was _not_ Etrius. He faintly recalled Romanov mentioning a dark entity lurking in the castle, but he'd dismissed any further information from that crackpot.

"I don't know what the fuck you are," Lloyd said cautiously. "But I know you're not my comrade. Stay the hell away—"

The Mind Worm's eyes exploded with light. He spoke into his mind, his lips unmoving. " **You have not answered my question. Will you join us or not?** "

Lloyd felt a heavy pressure upon his mind. He sank to his knees, hands holding his head. His fingers caught in his ponytail hair as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block everything out. " _What—Are you—Saying?_ "

" **Once I'm through with you mortals, nothing will stand in my way to dominate your world. I sense thriving life on a dying world. Your realm doesn't have much far to fall. Join us, and we will begin a new dominion.** "

Etrius could sense the Mind Worm's thoughts, as if they were his own.

Lloyd glanced up, his teeth clenched. His eyes were red and weary from the stress of resisting. " _I may be—Mortal, but I can—see lies. You want to—devour our world. I won't allow you!_ "

Lloyd lost track of time, and couldn't tell how long he'd been resisting the Mind Worm's almost magnetic pull. His ears rang, a loud pounding in his head. He heard the Mind Worm speaking, but the voice sounded as if it were carried through a long distance.

" **How much suffering, Mortal, does it take, before you lose your Grace?** "

Etrius had enough.

With a burst of strength, he clawed at the net that held his consciousness still. He snapped the invisible ropes that restrained him, reigning control over _his_ mind and body. Adrenaline coursed through his system.

He felt the power stirring beneath the surface. He threw his arm out, aiming for the nearest closed door. Light curled around his fingers, radiating from the center of his palm.

He could only manage one word through the immense effort. "LLLLLOOO **OOYYYYDDD**."

With as much mental strength as he could gather, he willed the light to dart for the door. The stone shattered upon impact, creating an opening. The altar tower shook violently. Light spilled into the darkness of the altar room.

Lloyd felt like large stones had been lifted from his shoulders. He noticed his sword lying a few feet in front of him. He seized the weapon, heading for the opening that Etrius had created. The percussion still trembled through the ground.

The Mind Worm grabbed Etrius's consciousness, hurling him back into the dark corners of his thoughts. Lloyd's retreating figure was the last thing he saw before black-out.

* * *

The second the choppers landed, Beecher had the feeling they were being watched.

The General, Boomer and Beecher were dropped off at the East side of the Courtyard, closer to the altar room. A plethora of fully armed choppers formed a perimeter around the castle, their spinning rotors a dull noise in the back of Beecher's mind.

Beecher brought his fully modified sniper while Boomer carried the same shotgun he'd last brought with him to the castle. It proved to be lucky in the face of certain death.

Before The General exited his chopper, he spoke quietly with the pilot, "If we don't come back after an hour, and don't answer your transmissions, leave."

The General silently commanded Beecher and Boomer to follow him up a set of stone staircases that hugged a circular tower, leading to a crossing set of bridges. The altar room loomed ahead. The doors were open, much to their surprise.

"Alright, men," The General said without turning around to face them. "We get in, we find Etrius, and we get out. If anything moves, shoot it. Questions?"

"Yeah."

"What is it, Beecher?"

"I see a moving bastard pig in front of me. Can I shoot it?"

"Quit being a smart-ass, Beecher. I brought you two for a reason. Stay focused on the task."

Beecher rolled his eyes, but didn't respond.

They reached the peak of the staircase, crossing the stone bridge. Impending darkness loomed below them. To Boomer, it looked like a giant bowl of air. He remembered falling into that darkness the last time they were here. He shivered, not wanting to relive the memory.

Beecher caught a glimpse of the darkness passing through Boomer's eyes. He'd never seen him this way before, but decided not to question it.

They reached the door leading to the altar room, but didn't advance forward. The General's eyes narrowed. He picked up a nearby stone, tossing it into the room. Nothing happened.

He gestured Beecher and Boomer to follow him inside, clicking the safety off his caliber.

Beecher's brow furrowed. Was he getting ready to fight freaks, or something else?

The altar room was dead silent. Not a freak, or body of the many casualties in sight. Even the scent of blood from the massacre was absent.

The General's eyes moved to the alter pyramid, but the semi-darkness cut out any view of the peak. "Let's move." His voice ricocheted off the walls, a slow echo.

The team made their way down the first circular set of stairs, leading down to the base of the altar. Then, they made their ascent.

Beecher's thoughts when haywire. He recalled The General telling him there was a chance Etrius was still alive, since he'd absorbed the power. It could heal him.

But Beecher knew what he saw. The minute he climbed the altar and saw that gunshot wound, he knew things were over. If this power could really bring someone back to life, he could only imagine what it could do to Earth.

He wondered what awaited him at the peak of the altar. Etrius? His corpse? A freak?

The General produced the hollow black orb from his uniform pocket.

They arrived at the peak.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"I don't understand." The General lowered his gun. "He was here."

"Satisfied?" Beecher would've crossed his arms, but he wasn't lowering his sniper for a second. "Your power works. Now how are you going to find it?"

" _Enough_ , Beecher. We'll find a way to fix this."

" _You'll_ find a way to fix this. I'm out. Let's go, Boomer." Beecher turned to leave, but The General stopped him.

" _You're out_?" The General repeated skeptically, watching as Boomer turned to follow him. "You _will_ drag your ass back here, soldiers! This mission isn't over yet."

"I believe it is." Boomer scoffed.

"Boomer! What the fuck have I—?"

"Save it. Beecher told me everything."

At that minute, The General cocked back the hammer of his gun, aiming at the back of Beecher's head, prompting Boomer to aim his shotgun at The General. "Listen up, Beecher, because I have every right to fire this gun. Boomer, I know you won't pull that trigger, even if I did."

"Try me."

"I can't have you going around, spreading lies," The General continued. "So I'll give you a choice. You can either stay and help us find Etrius, or you can lose your life before we find him. Do I make myself clear?"

Beecher still had his back to The General, but he didn't advance another step. He was frozen in place, his muscles tense, almost like a statue. One push in the wrong direction, and he might as well shatter.

"Beecher?" Boomer said, not taking his aim off The General.

"Fine. Whatever." Beecher turned back around, darkness in his eyes.

The General lowered his aim, and Boomer slowly followed.

The General's eyes widened. In a flash, he took aim again, pulling the trigger in Beecher's direction.

Beecher didn't react fast enough, but he didn't need to. The General was aiming beside him, and the bullet barely grazed his ear. Beecher and Boomer whirled around.

Etrius was standing in the center of a swirling black cloud of darkness. Well, floating to be exact. Held up by invisible strings. Power coursing through him. His eyes set alight.

Beecher nearly dropped his sniper.

Etrius spoke, but his voice sounded… different, somehow. "You should've left when you had the chance. What do you think you're doing here?"

Beecher couldn't say a word, but The General growled angrily, the black orb suddenly feeling heavy in his hand. "What do you _think_ , Etrius? I told you to give me the power in the first place, but you decided not to cooperate."

"Don't think for a second that you're getting out of this one," Boomer snarled at The General. "It was you who shot Etrius! We could've all gotten out of this just fine if you hadn't—"

"None of that matters now!" Etrius stepped on the altar, the black whispering mist slithering away from his feet as they touched stone. "Destroy that orb, and leave while you still can."

"Etrius, what the hell are you talking about?" Beecher inquired. "We need that power to save Earth."

"No. You don't understand. This son of a bitch isn't turning the power in for Earth's survival. He's going to give it to his superiors, and they'll use it for money and power. General, they told you they'd share the spoils, but they're just using you as a puppet to get their hands on it! I saw it, from the moment I inherited this power."

"Etrius, nothing you're saying makes sense!" The General said hoarsely. "You're giving me the exact same bullshit the last time we were here. Just give me the power, and we can all go home in peace!"

"I can't."

"Are you _asking_ for another bullet?"

"I'm _asking_ you to leave while you still can! This monster… It latches onto minds like a parasite, using them as a host to move between worlds and devour all life. I barely held it back before it could turn Lloyd into one of those freaks."

"Lloyd? You mean he's still alive?" A surge of hope thumped in Boomer's chest like a shot of adrenaline.

The stone altar pyramid beneath them began to shake. Boulders dropped from the ceiling, and glowing eyes awakened in the shadows. The Darkness churned out of Etrius' control, like ink in water.

The Mind Worm stirred.

Etrius held his head, feeling a headache coming on, which grew and grew until he lost all physical sensation. He was cast into tunnel-vision. He could barely scream out a warning before the Mind Worm came alive in his eyes. He lashed out with his fist at the air.

Beecher was knocked off his feet by an invisible force. He felt his back collide and slide on the stone floor at the base before he realized it. Pain shot up his spine, but at least the friction broke his fall.

Through the haze of distraction, he heard the muffled sound of firing bullets. Boomer's voice.

Footsteps echoed around him. Freaks. He forced himself to sit upright, feeling the ache in his bones. Out of the army of freaks, several had their eyes on Beecher. His eyes scanned his surroundings for his sniper. He found it laying several feet away. The emptiness in his hands suddenly felt very real.

An invisible wave rolled through the air, like a signal controlling their minds. They lunged for the prone figure on the floor. He'd never make it to his weapon in time.

He raised his arms over his head in a futile defense gesture—

A shadow swooped over him.

The swordsman's hunched figure stood with his back to Beecher, blade extended. The creatures stood gravely still before a thin line of blood stretched over half their bodies. Their torsos slipped from their waists, and fell to the ground with a sickening _plop_!

Lloyd was drenched in blood, his shoulders rising and falling with each heavy breath.

Beecher quickly scrambled to his feet and retrieved his sniper, pushing the pain to the back of his mind. "Lloyd?" He said in an edgy voice.

Lloyd didn't respond for a beat, then spoke quietly, in a tone he hadn't heard him use in _years_ , "You shouldn't have come back."

"Been getting that a lot lately. Great to see you're still alive and kicking. How do we get Etrius back?"

"We don't. That Parasite owns his mind now. There's no turning back."

Beecher's radio headset crackled to life, and Romanov's voice washed through. " _This is Dr. Romanov. I've done more research on the second book._ "

"And?" The General pressed, letting Beecher know that they weren't dead yet.

" _The only way to bring Etrius back is to recite an incantation from the books. You still have the first one, so the same incantation should be there. That should destroy the Parasite, and put the power back in the orb._ "

"Great to know, crackpot!" Beecher replied over the roar of growling Evils and gunfire. He shot at any freaks that came too close to him, while Lloyd formed a perimeter around him, slashing and diving in graceful arcs at the endless swarms of freaks.

"Boomer. Where's Etrius?" Beecher spoke quickly, decapitating another Evil.

"Gone," Boomer responded, out of breath. "He disappeared into the crowd. Let's get moving and find him. I have the first book." Beecher faintly heard The General yelling after Boomer to give something back, but he was too focused on the task to listen.

Their minds went on autopilot.

Rip.

Shoot.

Tear.

Destroy.

Something cold chilled the back of Beecher's neck. He whirled around, weapon raised, coming face-to-face with the Mind Worm. He must've wanted to deal with Beecher himself, because the rest of the Evils around them didn't bother with the two imposing figures. Beecher was acutely aware of Boomer descending the altar pyramid, tearing freaks apart with his bare hands on his way down. It would be a while before he would reach them.

Beecher took a deep breath, preparing himself.

" **Are you supposed to be a challenge**?" The Mind Worm spoke in a disbelieving, amused tone.

"All bark and no bite," Beecher taunted. "How about we make a deal? You let my comrade go, and we all walk out of this without anyone getting hurt. Or, we can take the hard way and lock you inside your prison again. Your choice."

" **Impudent Mortal**!" The Mind Worm growled, charging towards Beecher on all fours, like a feral animal.

Beecher raised his sniper, preparing to fire…

Yet, he couldn't. Something was holding him back, and it _wasn't_ the Mind Worm.

Lloyd saw this and swore. He darted to the two, coming between Beecher and the Mind Worm. He raised his sword over his head, bringing it down in a swift arc.

What was left was simply Etrius with a slightly severed shoulder, which healed in an instant.

Beecher heard Romanov's voice through the headset. " _I have an update. The Mind Worm is hyper-sensitive to light. It's why he dwelled in such dark worlds. He feeds off Darkness and worst fears._ "

"Great, thanks for the useless information," Beecher moved a safe distance away from Etrius, keeping his crosshair on Etrius' chest. "Now if we can just find pure sunlight in a dead world with no real sun…"

" _You sound like Etrius._ " Boomer stated, finally making it down to Beecher's side. The General was still somewhere in the chaos, but Beecher and Boomer heard him over the transmission signal. " _This is The General speaking. All choppers are being ordered to shine UV lights into each altar window._ "

In a matter of seconds, the loud spinning sound of rotors could be heard from outside. Wind and debris tore through the windows, spiraling around the altar room like a vortex. The Mind Worm looked around in panic. " **Worthless weaklings… What do you think you're doing**?"

Before he could utter another word, cobalt blue lights exploded into the altar room, nearly blinding the team even. The Mind Worm instantly fell to his knees, covering his head with his arms against the inevitable. He uttered an ear-splitting screech, one that sounded like nails being run against chalk. Beecher shut his eyes and ground his teeth, wishing he could cover his ears, had he not been holding his sniper.

Smoke rolled off the Mind Worm's skin.

He raised his fists high over his head, bringing them down against the stone. Fissures erupted in the stone flooring, inching across the altar room. He raised his fists again, power storming through them.

Lloyd's eyes widened at the realization. He turned to his comrades. " _Get the fuck out of here! He'll destroy the—_!"

Too late.

The Mind Worm swung his fists against the floor, causing it to vibrate violently. Like an earthquake, chunks of stone fell apart, forming large gaps in the ground. The walls caved in.

The team whirled around for the nearest doorway, to escape the inevitable cataclysm. Adrenaline coursed through Beecher's veins, slowing down time around him.

Masses of rocks descended from the ceiling, breaking upon impact with the ground.

The ground beneath Beecher gave away. He made a leap, just barely grasping the edge of a solid piece of flooring. His weapon fell into the darkness beneath him. He dug his fingers into the cracking stone, but his hands were slipping. He glanced up. A boulder was falling straight for him.

He shut his eyes and clenched his teeth. His teammates wouldn't make it in time.

He let go of the stone flooring, falling into the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Even before Beecher opened his eyes, he knew he was in danger.

Dust settled over him, giving the notion that he'd been lying there for some time. But he must've not fallen far, because he was still alive, and he couldn't mentally ignore the ache in his bones. He blinked languidly. He tried to move, but couldn't. For a fleeting moment, he thought he was paralyzed.

But he could still move an arm. He shook loose his lighter, which he always kept hidden inside his gloves. A flame sparked to life, illuminating the area around him in the auburn light of the single ember. He glanced behind him. Rubble was piled on top of him, pieces of rock wedged between his arms and legs, rendering them useless.

As his vision adjusted to the semi-darkness, he noticed his sniper lying not too far ahead. Just within reach of his useful arm.

He let his lighter stand upright, extending his arm for his weapon. His fingers barely brushed the surface.

Someone's shadow loomed over him. The Mind Worm kicked the weapon out of his reach, glaring down at him with hatred. " **You certainly are hard to get rid of. Perhaps you** ** _would_** **be useful in my evolving army. This war has been centuries in the making. We've waited an eternity for another world to devour. I sense your world is thriving with life.** "

"Go fuck yourself." Beecher couldn't move, but he spat out the words with rage. "Don't forget, Etrius' mind and yours are still attached. He's going to stop you."

The Mind Worm gave a sick chuckle. " **The Mortal? I** ** _dominate_** **his mind now. It no longer belongs to him.** "

"That's a lie."

" **I don't think you understand. The Mind Worm is no longer a presence, and the human is no longer a part of me.** ** _I_** ** _am the Mind Worm._** **Do you have any idea how it feels to be the most powerful being in the universe**?"

Beecher didn't respond.

" **Now, I will make** ** _you_** **a deal. You become part of my army, and in turn I let you live and maybe even allow you to see your friend again.** "

"No deal."

" **Then I will tear you apart right now, and use what's left of you in my army.** " His eyes began twitching involuntarily. Growling, he held his head between his hands, murmuring angrily under his breath.

The glowing died down, and Etrius' green irises returned. His vision was doubled, but he saw his comrade in front of him. He collapsed to his knees, looking at his hands in vain before closing them into fists. "Shit… _Shit_. I did this."

"There's no time for a guilt trip," Beecher snarled. "Quit sleeping around and destroy that thing before it destroys Earth."

"I… I Can't…"

"Stop saying you can't do things!" The mere words drained him of energy. "We need to get the Wise One's first book, and recite some fucking incantation. That will destroy this freak."

"I know the incantation," Etrius said bluntly. "When I absorbed the powers, I absorbed the information contained in the books." He inhaled sharply, shutting his eyes. Somewhere deep inside him, the Mind Worm was lurking beneath the surface, grinding his teeth and howling blood-chilling noises like a dejected animal.

The Mind Worm grabbed hold of his actions, while Etrius got to work on destroying him from the dark.

He reached for Beecher, but stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened, the whites turning red. Light exploded from his eyes and mouth, nearly blinding Beecher. He shut his eyes, but the light still poured through his eyelids.

He wasn't sure which was louder: The Mind Worm's screeches, or his racing heart.

Through the trembling vibes in the atmosphere, he heard Etrius' voice, speaking in a foreign language. But the accent sounded nothing like himself.

For a second, Beecher was whisked back thousands of years, when the Ancient race had fallen, and the Wise One attempted to destroy the Mind Worm once and for all… Before it destroyed him.

The writings etched into the fallen walls around them began to glow.

An eerie presence hung in the air like a dreary fog.

The Mind Worm collapsed to his knees, burying his face in his hands. Light seeped between his fingers.

Then, silence.

Beecher's last sight was of familiar lush, emerald eyes that faded away into the impending darkness.

Beecher zoned in and out of consciousness. White hot flashes of images flew by each time he opened his eyes, but he couldn't keep them open for long. Familiar voices rang all around him. There were bursts of lights and silhouettes around him, so he knew he was out of that hole.

* * *

When he finally regained consciousness again, he was on the floor of a chopper, leaning against the wall. His bones no longer ached, but he was still exhausted. The ashen scene of the Ancient's universe darted past outside the door. He caught sight of Boomer and Lloyd speaking quietly in the back of the chopper. The black orb was lying on the seat between them, steel claws surrounding it, so anyone who touched it wouldn't inherit the power. He could barely pick up his comrades' words.

" _War… Parasite… Gone… Power… Earth… The General…_ "

Beecher fixed his attention to the left of him.

Etrius leaned against the wall, his hair ruffled and his clothes torn. He watched him with green eyes, and a half smirk.

It was all Beecher saw before slipping into unconsciousness again.


End file.
